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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Mom's Cherished Chest of Drawers Gets a Makeover

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-Before-

This chest of drawers is an Ethan Allen piece that was in the house where I grew up. It has sentimental value because of my distinct memories. My mother had it set up near a suspended stairway and displayed a gift that I gave her back in 1973, a "Mother" plate. I would sit on the stairs memorizing the poem printed on the plate, Only One Mother to Cherish and Love. Because of that, I still know every word of that poem. Somehow the message got through to me at an early age.....to cherish my mom. In the end, this plate and the mantra I memorized ended up being a gift for me. She was taken from me before the birth of my first child 16 years ago. Even though she is gone, we had the best years. I enjoyed every moment with her. Well....maybe not every moment......I was a teenager!

Cat scratches/Candle burn.

So, I have kept this chest for sentimental reasons. I have long gotten past the dark wood finish and several times had considered selling it. The "before" image above is kind. This chest is showing the years, and not in a charming way either. The top had several scratches left behind by my long lost, beloved Silver Point Siamese cat, Sushi. There was also a pretty good burn mark in the finish from a jar candle that was left burning too long. I have been putting table runners over these flaws to hide them. When we came to the decision to completely change the colors in the master bedroom, I knew this would be the first piece that I tackled. The color theme for this project is white/off white/beige/neutrals.

I was super excited to freshen up this chest, and because of the sentimental value was wanting to go the extra mile. I chose to add a muted toned seashell fabric. The Mother Poem talks about nature and the multitude of miracles in the skies, land and the oceans. "Thousands and thousands of flowers and trees, Hundreds and hundreds of mountains and seas," says the unknown writer. I grew up and still live near the ocean, as did my mother. She would take us to the beach in the early morning hours when we were little kids with sand pales and Styrofoam 'surf boards' that we got from the dime store. I have wonderful memories of my childhood with my mom. Getting back into that hot car, after barely dusting the beach sand off my body, and sitting on my damp towel has we drove home....Salt clinging to my skin and tightening it as we drove.......

I cannot believe that tan. Wow.

Her and I took a 'girls' trip when I was 15 years old to Naples on the west coast of Florida. I was so excited because, unlike the east coast, the west coast waters were gentle and the sea shells were amazing. She helped me pick up shells for hours. We floated in the gulf waters and she told me stories of her teenage years. She helped me spell out my then boyfriend's name in the sand with the collected seashells. That four days still remains four of the happiest days of my life. (I can grow a tan like no other as you can see by this photo!)

Well, I am almost finished with the chest. All it needs is a good poly wipe and wax. After a heavy sanding, I put two coats of Sherwin Williams All Surface Acrylic Latex Primer. I then painted the chest with two coats of Sherwin Williams "Creamy."

I detailed the edges with a few accents of Americana Deco Art craft paint in Turquoise Blue with Folk Art Metallic Pure Gold layered over the top of the blue. (I used the blue to bring out a little blue detail in the seashell fabric.)

I then followed up with a wash all over the entire piece with MinWax Dark Walnut.

I soaked the hardware in vinegar to clean them up a bit.

I then precision cut the fabric to fit on the sides and drawer fronts of the chest. I used a thin layer of Mod Podge to adhere the fabric and used a credit card the press and smooth it down, concentrating on making sure the edges are firmly tacked. I did not cover the fabric with the Mod Podge because it is a heavy, outdoor fabric and I know it will take the wear and tear. Plus, I like the texture that the raw fabric brings to the piece.

Hope you like it. I do.....and I am sure my mom would have thought it was awesome.

Hi, friend! I'm admiring all your creative posts here so can you please share them with us at the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop? The link is at http://www.homemakeronadime.com/2011/04/creative-bloggers-party-hop-042411.html.Thank you so much :)

Ok I have a few tears in my eyes after reading this post... love this story and your wonderful memories of your mom. It turned out beautiful--I love the fabric on the front and that gold really sets off the shape. Thanks so much for linking this great project to STL Wednesday!Mary

Such a lovely piece of furniture, the transformation is wonderful!! Happy to be a new follower of your blog, found you via Debbiedoo's. :) I invite you drop by & link up to my fun & inspiring blog bash K.I.S.S.